One Such Fool
by inkandpaperqwerty
Summary: Beyond Birthday meets a stranger at a Los Angeles airport and tries to give them some advice, only to be reminded that some people just can't be helped.


_March 10__th__, 2001_

Beyond sighed heavily, staring at the date he had scratched across the top of the paper with blank, somewhat hazy eyes. He knew what he wanted to write about—he wanted to catalogue his plans for New York—but his brain was excruciatingly frazzled, and the code he had developed to conceal his written thoughts was crumbling to pieces beneath his pounding headache. It didn't help that he was in the middle of a crowded airport, either.

_Time: 7:34 AM_

Delayed flights were such a pain, and while it wasn't his flight that was delayed, he didn't appreciate being submerged in a swarm of grouchy, tired, would-be fliers when he was trying to think. It was a big airport, too, so it wasn't as if there was a lack of room. Just why were all of these stupid people flying anyway?

_Location: Los Angeles, CA_

Oh, well. He couldn't alter time and space, and he still had a half an hour before his flight was scheduled to take off. Besides, he really needed to start logging more than basics facts he already knew. While it was good for jump starting his brain, these little tidbits weren't helping him accomplish his goals any faster.

Beyond jumped slightly as someone tried to squeeze onto the bench next to him, his features twisting with visible disgust as the stranger's elbow rubbed up against his ribcage. It was _disgusting._

"Sorry." Mumbling under his breath, the man tried to make himself comfortable, wrestling with his briefcase and trying to balance himself on the edge of the bench. "Nowhere else to sit."

"There's a floor," he replied dryly, giving the man a brief glare before turning his head back towards his notebook. _Wait. _Shaking his head, he set the book aside and looked at the stranger a second time. "I apologize. It's been a rather long morning, and these crowds are suiting me ill. I'm Tanner Thompson, and it's nice to meet you."

Already put off by Beyond's demeanor and mannerisms, the stranger introduced himself with an air of distance, not even attempting a handshake. "John. Good to meet you, too." Then, after a somewhat uncomfortable pause, "Where are you headed?"

"New York, New York. I hear it's a heck of a town." He cracked a brief smile, but it faltered quickly. "I have some family up there I'm going to visit."

John whistled, running a hand through his hair and turning his gaze towards the fluorescent ceilings. "Whew… that's a long ways away just to visit family. I mean, I came all the way out here from Virginia, but that's work stuff, you know? It's different."

Beyond gave him the slightest of smiles. "I suppose it all depends on one's personal preferences. I don't have any doubt that I'll succeed at my job, and I suppose… I get tired of the lonely office every once in a while. I have to break away for family, or I think I'll lose my mind."

Chuckling, the man shook his head. "To each his own, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to go home and see my wife and kids, but I always feel like I'm not going anywhere. I have a good time, sure, but it's not getting my any closer to a lengthy retirement, you know?"

Beyond let out a dry, somewhat dark string of laughter. "Not everyone gets to have a retirement at all, you know. When you work, you are moving towards a goal, and that has all sorts of perks in its own merit. Family, however, is something where you reap the rewards while simultaneously planting seeds for future harvesting." He paused, realizing with mild distaste that his words had come across as rather sentimental. "Well, anyway, the point is… you don't know when your time is going to come. So, if I were you, I would go straight home and spend as much time with your family as you can. I'm sure they've missed you, and since you want to be able to dedicate more time to your job in the future, you've got to throw them a little something to hold on to."

"Hmm…" John nodded his head slowly, almost as if he was considering the proposition. "I guess it has been a while… maybe I could take the kids to the park or—" He was interrupted by his phone ringing, and he jumped up, pressing the object to his ear with a quick greeting.

Beyond watched in silence, observing one half of a conversation and watching the young man's head bob up and down as he let out a stream of agreeable noises. It lasted only a minute or two, and then the man was hanging up, taking the briefcase in his hand and rising to his feet.

"That was my boss on the line. There's some extra work to do, so I'm going to stick around another night. But hey, maybe I can do that thing you said tomorrow, alright? Good talking to you." Without waiting for a farewell, John turned and disappeared into the sweaty throngs with spat him into Beyond's lap in the first place.

_Goodbye, Jonathan McCarthy._

Turning back to his notebook, he read what he had so far and tacked on one final note before closing the book and tucking it back into his carry-on, deciding to wait until he was the plane with a few more hours of sleep under his belt to continue writing.

_March 10__th__, 2001_

_Time: 7:34 AM_

_Location: Los Angeles, CA_

_Notes: Some fools simply cannot be talked out of dying alone. Jonathan McCarthy is one such fool._


End file.
